Epiphytic Lichens in Salt Flats as Biodiversity Refuges in Reserva Ecológica Arenillas
The mangrove biome is a highly productive system globally, with flora and fauna adapted to significant saline influence, where salt flats coexist alongside these systems, emerging over sands and muds with high salinity and sparse vegetation. The objective of this research is to describe, for the fir...
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2024-10-01
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| author | Ángel Benítez Darío Cruz Fausto López Nixon Cumbicus Carlos Naranjo María Riofrío Teddy Ochoa-Pérez Marlon Vega |
| author_facet | Ángel Benítez Darío Cruz Fausto López Nixon Cumbicus Carlos Naranjo María Riofrío Teddy Ochoa-Pérez Marlon Vega |
| author_sort | Ángel Benítez |
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| description | The mangrove biome is a highly productive system globally, with flora and fauna adapted to significant saline influence, where salt flats coexist alongside these systems, emerging over sands and muds with high salinity and sparse vegetation. The objective of this research is to describe, for the first time in Ecuador, the diversity of epiphytic lichens in salt flats in the southern region of Ecuador. Two salt flats were selected where <i>Avicennia germinans</i> and <i>Laguncularia racemosa</i> were the dominant trees with the shrub <i>Batis maritima</i>. A total of 30 species of epiphytic lichens were recorded, with the families Arthoniaceae, Graphidaceae, and Ramalinaceae having the highest number of species, and crustose lichens with photobiont type <i>Trentepohlia</i> showed high richness. The salt flats in the southern region of Ecuador have a high richness of epiphytic lichen species, and the species composition is similar to mangroves, highlighting the importance of their conservation as biodiversity refuges for lichens and consequently other flora and fauna groups. Therefore, epiphytic lichens in salt flats can be used as model organisms to assess their conservation in tropical areas. |
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| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| spelling | doaj-art-957cb322f9b04e798f3a914d3e21b8cc2025-08-20T02:28:04ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182024-10-01161165510.3390/d16110655Epiphytic Lichens in Salt Flats as Biodiversity Refuges in Reserva Ecológica ArenillasÁngel Benítez0Darío Cruz1Fausto López2Nixon Cumbicus3Carlos Naranjo4María Riofrío5Teddy Ochoa-Pérez6Marlon Vega7Biodiversidad de Ecosistemas Tropicales-BIETROP, Herbario HUTPL, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano s/n, Loja 1101608, EcuadorBiodiversidad de Ecosistemas Tropicales-BIETROP, Herbario HUTPL, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano s/n, Loja 1101608, EcuadorBiodiversidad de Ecosistemas Tropicales-BIETROP, Herbario HUTPL, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano s/n, Loja 1101608, EcuadorBiodiversidad de Ecosistemas Tropicales-BIETROP, Herbario HUTPL, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano s/n, Loja 1101608, EcuadorBiodiversidad de Ecosistemas Tropicales-BIETROP, Herbario HUTPL, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano s/n, Loja 1101608, EcuadorBiodiversidad de Ecosistemas Tropicales-BIETROP, Herbario HUTPL, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano s/n, Loja 1101608, EcuadorMinisterio del Ambiente, Agua y Transición Ecológica, Dirección de Áreas Protegidas y Otras Formas de Conservación, Loja 1101608, EcuadorBiodiversidad de Ecosistemas Tropicales-BIETROP, Herbario HUTPL, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano s/n, Loja 1101608, EcuadorThe mangrove biome is a highly productive system globally, with flora and fauna adapted to significant saline influence, where salt flats coexist alongside these systems, emerging over sands and muds with high salinity and sparse vegetation. The objective of this research is to describe, for the first time in Ecuador, the diversity of epiphytic lichens in salt flats in the southern region of Ecuador. Two salt flats were selected where <i>Avicennia germinans</i> and <i>Laguncularia racemosa</i> were the dominant trees with the shrub <i>Batis maritima</i>. A total of 30 species of epiphytic lichens were recorded, with the families Arthoniaceae, Graphidaceae, and Ramalinaceae having the highest number of species, and crustose lichens with photobiont type <i>Trentepohlia</i> showed high richness. The salt flats in the southern region of Ecuador have a high richness of epiphytic lichen species, and the species composition is similar to mangroves, highlighting the importance of their conservation as biodiversity refuges for lichens and consequently other flora and fauna groups. Therefore, epiphytic lichens in salt flats can be used as model organisms to assess their conservation in tropical areas.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/11/655biomediversityepiphytesmangrovescrustose lichens |
| spellingShingle | Ángel Benítez Darío Cruz Fausto López Nixon Cumbicus Carlos Naranjo María Riofrío Teddy Ochoa-Pérez Marlon Vega Epiphytic Lichens in Salt Flats as Biodiversity Refuges in Reserva Ecológica Arenillas Diversity biome diversity epiphytes mangroves crustose lichens |
| title | Epiphytic Lichens in Salt Flats as Biodiversity Refuges in Reserva Ecológica Arenillas |
| title_full | Epiphytic Lichens in Salt Flats as Biodiversity Refuges in Reserva Ecológica Arenillas |
| title_fullStr | Epiphytic Lichens in Salt Flats as Biodiversity Refuges in Reserva Ecológica Arenillas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Epiphytic Lichens in Salt Flats as Biodiversity Refuges in Reserva Ecológica Arenillas |
| title_short | Epiphytic Lichens in Salt Flats as Biodiversity Refuges in Reserva Ecológica Arenillas |
| title_sort | epiphytic lichens in salt flats as biodiversity refuges in reserva ecologica arenillas |
| topic | biome diversity epiphytes mangroves crustose lichens |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/11/655 |
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